These so-called "self-style" udon noodle joints are very popular in Japan, and I always wondered why there is no such place in the US...but here it is in Sydney! I was shocked to see how cheap everything is. Other than McDonald's or Hungry Jack, you would rarely see under $5 items around the city, but now you have it - very economical lunch (or even dinner) option is available. So, you come in, place an order for your noodle (udon/soba, cold/hot, regular/large, with or w/o special toppings), pick up fresh tempura, pick up side dishes, then proceed to cashier. I have to admit - regardless of the super-low prices, food here is actually good! A couple of downsides are: the first stop (noodle order point) takes time to process and holds the flow...maybe they could have changed the layout and have two staff members process noodle orders instead of one? Also, in spite of the signs everywhere "do not take seats before ordering," lots of folks especially families and student groups are occupying seats while sending one or two members to order/pick up food for the "whole team." Sometimes not all of them are even eating, and just there to chat... During peak hours, the queue gets very long, so you may want to avoid. Now, they've got their sister (or brother?) venue right next to it - focusing on rice bowls and kushiage items. Oh, both places are cash only. read more

Menya Mappen - Bukkake udon (cold) - Japanese Near Me - Sydney, NSW

I love this fast food cafeteria style concept they have going. They need noodle set ups like this in the United States! 1. Walk in 2. Order what you want (noodles cooked to order) 3. Grab a tray and a plate 4. Grab additional items or sides (if you want) 5. Pay 6. Eat 7. Return the tray/bowl Food: Ordered a spicy pork with soba noodles. It was pretty delicious. Soup was extra salted due to the spicy pork mixing in. Service: Not much service per say. You bus your own tray. Staff was friendly overall. Environment: Feels like this would be very popular for students and young business folks who need a quick cheap meal. The table set up feels very communal. Price: Pretty cheap. Food: 4 Service: 4 Environment: 4 Price: 5 read more

Don't judge.. Udon know me | Besides Tokyo. Where can you taste three Japanese speciality food restaurants all in one place?! . Skyview Mall in the heart of George St is the answer.. @mappencbd specialises in Udon Pictured is their 'Tempura Prawn Udon' in a Soy & Bonito Flake Soup, which they call Kake. The soup base is delicious, not overly salty and well balanced. The udon itself is cooked perfectly and not overcooked or soft which is usually is my pet peeve with some places and udon. read more

Menya Mappen - Tempura Udon - Japanese Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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This had been on my list of Must Eat Ats for about 6 months and things were getting ridiculous. Everything else had been ticked off. Why was Menya proving so elusive? This had to be rectified. And quickly. Equipment was gathered, companions vetted, and a mission mounted to the hive that is George St on a Sunday night. Weaving in and out of glowing froyo bars, dodging drunks and gaggles of giggling girls I landed, lined up, ordered, sat down, breathed in all the aromas emanating from the tray stacked with spicy pork miso bowl ($3.90), a large cold tsuke soba with dipping sauce ($5.90), side of kimchi ($1), side of seaweed (30c). For just over a tenner I had a feast, a damned feast, that I destroyed - furiously, blindly - like some kind of delicious culinary pinata. There were splodges on my shirt. Soy, probably. That don't come out easy. Eh. Who cares. My one regret was not trying the black sesame frappe. It looked like a high class slurpee, and I'm all about the slush. Next time Gadget, next time. read more

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This place is unbelievable good. Great place for cheap eat. If you are on a budget... Stay away for the tempura and toppings! Cash only... So don't forget your cash! This little cute Japanese place is like a supply chain.... You pick what type of noodles first, egg/no egg, tempura, and then toppings! Don't forget to grab your drinks before the noodles! Food- 5 (cheap and amazing) Prize- 5 ($) Service- self service Will come back again!!!! Multiple times :) read more

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BUKKAKE! If you know what it is I bet you never expected to see it in a food blog. I almost died laughing when I saw that word on the menu the first time I wandered in here. If you don't know what I'm talking about you're on your own, we're family friendly over here... According to Menya's website, "21st Century Japan is a 'Ramen War' battlefield. This war has now broken out far across the Equator in Sydney, Australia. In order to remain at the forefront of this battle, we press forward each day, sparing no effort in our relentless quest to ensure that Menya ramen come second to none. At Menya, we pour our hearts into our noodles". I almost don't want to write about this place because I want to keep it all for myself but that would be selfish and greedy. Not that it's a big secret, it's actually always pretty packed but it's packed with Japanese people. Always a good sign when people from the country of origin of a place's food comprise most of the diners! Anyway, I haven't told you what makes Menya Mappen so magical. From the moment you walk in the door to welcoming cries of "irasshaimase" you know this place is the real deal. The décor is cool and no bullshit - clearly designed to get in, eat, and get out pronto! Large heavy wooden share tables have all the necessities like chilli powder and chopsticks, Japanese movie posters decorate the walls and Japanese war-era music cranks through the speakers. The menus are displayed around the walls and above the serving line so you can figure out your order while you're queuing. You just order the noodle base and add your own tempura, sea veges, daikon, sauce etc and voila- bukkake time! They have yummy beancakes for dessert if you're still hungry and a plain noodle dish starts at $3.80. Yeah that's right, THREE DOLLARS EIGHTY! Mappen is cash only but there's an ATM in the complex, and it gets REALLY busy at lunchtime and around 6pm so avoid peak hours if you can. Need I add, Menya Mappen really does have not only the best but the cheapest noodles in the city and yes, my name is Julie and I am a Mappen addict. read more

Menya Mappen - Japanese Near Me - Sydney, NSW

This self-service Japanese noodle bar is next to Oiden Bowl Bar which is a self-service rice bowl bar. I am not sure if they have a same owner. Ordered Tonkotsu Udon. I'm a big fan of Tonkotsu soup but this one is not up to standard, not made onsite possibly. The udon is straight from the package, soggy and lack of freshness. The tempura fish cake is OK. Generous portion at a very reasonable price. But in terms of taste, very average. read more

Menya Mappen - Tonkotsu Udon - Japanese Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Value for money for a delicious bowl of soba! It is my first time dining here. I thought it was very nice of the chef to recommend me the Bukkake Ontama Mentaiko Soba. He further explained that by having it hot, I'll be able to enjoy the buttery taste of the soba. Indeed it was a sumptuous meal! I added a prawn tempura as my side dish too. Have I mentioned that there is free flow of tempura sauce? Will def come back to try the best of their udon/soba. read more

Menya Mappen - Bukkake Ontama Mentaiko Soba - Japanese Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Been here a few times before watching a movie at the Events Cinema. Love it because its not only cheap, but tasty, which is rare for Sydney. This place can get packed so you sometimes need to queue up but it goes pretty fast. I've had the curry which is yum and I love that you can get it random pieces of tempura prawn, fried fish cakes and sausage etc. Last time I went I got the spicy pork with soba noodles. It was tasty and had a nice kick! Have had the curry which is also good. Overall a great place for cheap authentic Japanese food. read more

Im really not a fan of this place. Unless you love udon and soba noodles and noodles are what you love then maybe this is for you. Otherwise id go next door to pepper lunch or oiden any day of the week. I didnt think the tonkotsu had enough flavour or thickness. Just tasted really light and plain read more

Menya Mappen - Udon is not for ramen soups - Japanese Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Self-service Japanese place where the base meal are noodles either Udon or Soba and the fried tempura style food are the sides. I must admit for a first-timer it might be a little confusing, just imitate what the person in front of you is doing you'll be fine. TONKOTSU UDON Rich broth very peppery and might have too much heat for some. It's a good think I enjoy pepper a lot, was just perfect for me. Great depth of flavour, the udon was also very good, just at the consistency that I like. BEEF CURRY UDON Beef was tender and thin, soup had that classic Japanese curry taste with a sweet after-taste. Again udon was cooked nicely. MISC TEMPURA AND FRIED FOOD Overall tempura was well done, it's not just dipped in batter but fried with additional with tempura crumble to add extra texture and sinful oiliness. Do not expect light and fluffy here, it's more about indulgence here. Just stay away from the sausage, deep frying something so fatty as this cheap sausage is really disgusting. It's very unhealthy and does not taste good. Veggie "biscuit" and prawn were nice and crispy. The karage chicken had a good flavour but not crispy, very tender though, I do not know whether that was intended. Conclusion Above average hot-food noodles and tempura as from 11:30am everyday. Just be prepared to queue during peak hours just because of the self-service prone to bottleneck system. Noodles are cooked to order so it's worth the wait. Excellent value considering the quality and beware that you will most likely have to share a table, so I don't recommend it for big groups. @thesydneynoob read more

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I just wasn't in the mood for a gob-smacking tonkotsu ramen for lunch from my favourite ramen join - Menya Noodle Bar on a cold Sydney afternoon but I did want something warming and light but with noodles so I decided to try out Menya's sister restaurant - Menya Mappen on George Street - for some chewy udon. I have walked passed and even had a peek into Menya Mappen over the years but never had the courage and go in as it was always busy with customers lining up waiting to put in their order and I could never see a spare seat. The place decked out as if you were walking into a hip noodle house somewhere in Japan with really cool vintage Japanese movie posters plastered on the walls. I decided to try the karaage chicken with kake broth and udon and a ontama egg ($6.90) as well as picking up a stick of takoyaki and a piece of tempura sweet potato from the Mappen Bar. The soup was intensely full flavoured with benito flakes and soy and the udon were superbly firm, slippery and chewy. The generous serve of sliced kaarage chicken was satisfying (I really didn't need two serves from the Mappen bar). I wasn't too blasted away by the takoyaki - it had been hanging around in the bar way too lomg and was cold - while the tempura sweet potato had a nice, firm and crispy covering of batter. Menya Mappen dishes out a good bowl of udon for a winter's day and at a good price considering its in the Sydney CBD area. read more

Menya Mappen - Karaage chicken Udon bowl. - Japanese Near Me - Sydney, NSW

"Irasshaimaseeeeeeeeee!!!!!!" This greeting will be your welcoming upon entering this casual yet stylish Japanese noodle bar which brings me bliss every time I go. My first review here in Sydney/Australia will definitely have to go to Menya Mappen. Discovered through a friend, I often come here to get my UDON fix. It's quite a task to find a good udon place and when it's also conveniently located in the city AND "cheap and cheerful," then what more could you ask for? I like my udon noodles to be "al dente" where they don't fall apart immediately in my mouth but also have that slight resistance that makes it one of the better ones found. Whether it's the bukake, kake soupbase you choose, or one with beef, one with an egg cracked on top, you won't be disappointed. They've also got soba (their rice dishes are now next door) dishes and a tempura bar. Simple, delicious food done well. I heart you Menya Mappen. read more

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Have walked past this centre many times but didn't realise there was a ramen place right near the cinemas! This is a great spot to get some quick din dins before the movies! Got an invite to try some good ole Ramen by Yuri from Washouku Lovers (its a benefits card that is free just by signing up). Got the Curry & Beef with Sobu noodles and my partner got the Tonkotsu delux with udon. You need to walk around the left of the shop front to order near the drinks station, they will either give you your ramen there or at the end of the line, grab yourself a tray and pick any toppings you like - options include gyoza, tempura items and then walk on down to the cold section of the self serve to get your kimchi, seawood salad and sweets then once all done pay at the register. Go sit and enjoy your meal. To be honest i have never been to a self serve ramen restaurant before and it was different. Overall, good first visit and yes i will be back, the prices are pretty cheap! read more

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I tried cold Mt. beef soba, tempura soba, seafood udon. Udon seems to be better than Dragon Boy (of course with higher price). Cold soba is not really the cold I'm expecting. I am looking for the similar cold like Korean cold noodle. Maybe it's just my taste. However, it's still a good dish. read more

Menya Mappen - Mt. Beef cold soba - Japanese Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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This is my proudest budget find in Sydney. Cash only. A little over $3 for a small kake udon (which is pretty huge portion for one-person). Really fresh kimchi is $1. Fried crumb-like toppings + green onions are free. I sometimes just frequent to grab some kimchi to go. If you want to go fancy, add an egg, tempura, bean curds, grab a takoyaki, etc. It won't break the bank and you'll be happily full too. read more

This canteen style udon restaurant is seriously busy! The system is easy, cheap and efficient- by time your food is ready there is a seat free. I felt rushed to decide due to the hustle and bustle, so I ordered the mini Karaage Mayo bowl (deep fried chicken, dried seaweed with sour teriyaki sauce & mayo on a small bowl of rice $4.90) with a side of mini udon ($2.50). My meal was prepared in minutes in front of me and I could add extra toppings along the way such as prawn or vegetable tempura just to name a few. The fit out is retro Japanese with wooden stools and large share tables to enjoy your meal. Everyone is tucking in and happily slurping away on their udon with bits of liquid flying around - if you're carefully not staining your top, that all of a sudden you are head down, desperately searching for that last noodle. The affordability of a meal at Menya Mappen is practically unheard of in Sydney CBD, so jump on it! read more

yes.. I laughed too... ontama BUKKAKE please... BAHAHA. And just a word of warning, not a great idea to start explaining the hilarity to your holier-than-thou friends at the table. But, wow, best simple udon ever. Cheapest udon ever. And those eggs will change your life. They crack those gooey little babies straight from the shell in all their slow cooked glory. droooool. Must admit the tempura had been sitting there a little too long on my last visit, so it wasn't great, but the awesomeness of everything else made up for it totally. Great place for a quick pre-cinema feed before catching a movie on George Street. read more

Like Oiden, they do the Japanese fast food concept justice. You can get your food and finish it really quickly, being on your way after 15 minutes or so. They focus on soba and udon (two things which are relatively cheap even in Japan), so there isn't a huge quality drop-off either. For what you're paying, it's a great deal. Also, the bukkake ontama is delicious. read more

This is Japanese fast food at its best! Your noodles are assembled as you order them and placed on a tray in front of you and you can select toppings and side dishes from the self serve bar as you make your way to the cash register. The udon was deliciously chewy, the tonkotsu broth was rich and we loved trying the Bukkake Ontama udon with cod roe butter. It was very cheap and fast! read more

A fairly busy day and we were after a quick and delicious meal. You don't need to look any further than Mappen! Order your noodle dish and proceed with self-service tempura toppings! Freshly out of the fryers and all look crispy and moreish. We got the cold soba with mentaiko and a half-boiled egg. It was refreshing and delicious. Of course the crispy prawn tempura added a few brownie points. Overall, a really good, cheap n cheerful casual Japanese dining. Repeat visit: Very High. http://gmv-gotmyvote.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/dining-mappen-noodle-bar-sydney.html read more

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Menya Mappen is my favourite place to have a quick lunch in the centre of Sydney. My standard order is the small size bukkake udon noodles, served hot, along with a sweet potato tempura and one of those little green seaweed salads, all for about $8. Very tasty, great value and it feels pretty authentically Japanese! Originally you often had to queue up behind a long queue, but I haven't had to deal with queues the last few times I've visited, and regardless it moves fast as people are served (and serve themselves). Just be warned - no-one likes someone who reserves their table before buying their food, and it's helpful if you return your own tray (next to the self-serve water dispenser). read more

Menya Mappen - Tempura selection - Japanese Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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Probably the least inspiring tonkotsu ramen I've had in Sydney: -The only noodle choices are udon and soba (admittedly, personal preference) -Broth is salty and flavourless (how can it be both at the same time??) -Almost no ingredients other than the noodles and broth. The $3 "deluxe" add-on got me a small, sad-looking, hastily-thawed piece of pork Sorry, Menya. If you want to compete in this neighbourhood, you're going to have to do a lot better than that. read more

Menya Mappen is your standard udon/soba establishment where you order your main dish then pickup side dishes after. the food is cheap and delicious. they have a variety of different dishes that you can get hot and cold. also choose from udon or soba as the noodles go. their side dishes include several types of tempura and smaller side dishes. they have an assortment of beverages. you can get a good size meal for around $10 that is very satisfying. space is limited as the restaurant is small and seating is more 'public' than anything. find a place where you can. bigger groups may have an issue finding space. read more

Good pricing, filling meal, but broth was a bit too salty for me. I ordered the tonkotsu udon with chashu and it was alright. By the end, I was in severe need of water due to the amount of sodium I had just consumed. Not the best quality of food, but well worth the price if you're looking to save. read more

Menya Mappen - Tonkotsu Chashu - Japanese Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Came here after dance, and their choice of cold/hot noodles is convenient and unique. It's located close to town hall station, which is nice, and the noodles there are affordable and taste great. Could have air conditioning, and more seating, but their service is quick and fuss-free. read more

Menya Mappen - A storage place under the table!! - Japanese Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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Mappen is my go-to lunch spot in the CBD - look no further for delicious yet affordable Japanese noodles! I always go for the Tonkatsu Udon, usually adding on a mini curry bowl and takoyaki. All up I pay around $10 for a very satisfying meal. Love the self service idea and the general feel of the shop - will continue to come back until I am able to find a better place to satisfy my udon cravings! read more

Such delicious authentic Japanese food (my roommate from there vouched for it) and at a very reasonable price! I got Udon and it was enough for 2 meals read more

After a completely climatic noodle experience just a few days before, I was reluctant to take a bite into Menya... Tucked into a shopping center on George Street, you would never find it unless you were playing hide-and-seek. But once inside, I was completely out of place, which I love during a dinning experience, because I had no idea what "ontama bukkake" meant, or what the difference was between any of the udons and sobas pictured... Now this is a recipe for deliciousness and good times, especially when combined with an ambiance of wood interior, opera-esque music, and really kitsch Japanese move posters, that manages to not be tacky at all! This place operates like a cafeteria-style noodle bar. You pick the size, either small or large of your "base dish," which is either soba, udon, etc., and then shimmy on down to the tempura and topping bar, and dress your noodles as you please. The base dishes run between $2.90 and around $5, which is a steal for how delicious the noddles are! With a small kake udon ($2.90) for a base, I dressed them simply with the free shallots and tempura flakes at the end of the line and a tofu sheet ($2.20), which was a perfect addition! We also grabbed a vegetable kakiage tempura ($2.80), which was DELICIOUS, a sweet potato tempura ($1.00), a fish stick tempura (around $2.00) and a salmon rice roll ($1.90). The food was tasty, satisfying, and a great value for the price, while the aroma was fun and flirtatious! It definitely deviates from the everyday Japanese joint. read more

If you've had Marukame Udon in Honolulu, you'll love this place. Reasonably cheap eats and yummy udon. read more

Following the advice of Yelp I went to check out the ramen at menya mappen. It was ok, a cool experience. read more

Very good udon with lots of delicious deep fried sides (love the takoyaki). The ultra-sugary slushies are also very tempting. My friend loves the spicy salmon on rice - which looks very tempting and much healthier but I just can't go past the perfectly cooked udon ... read more

Good cheap, quick, simple udon or soba. It's tempting to grab all of the sides, tempura, and dessert because it's cafeteria style...it can all add up so be careful! But if you have good control, the filling meal can cost you less than $5. It's more of a divey, dining alone, share tables kind of a place. You can finish the meal in less than 10 minutes. Not a destination restaurant. read more

This was my go-to place when I first moved to Sydney. Super cheap, tasty food. The karage tonkotsu udon was my favourite. I really wish the flavoured eggs were better though. read more

FOOD : (3) because not so much choices and not as delicious as Yasaka ramen Service : (4) friendly staff and helpful Price : (5) cheap read more

Unbelievably good value. Pretty much always go for the bukkake soba with tempura prawns yum

Awesome lil spot. Very local, communal, casual with tasty noodles. A bargain meal with LOTS of flavor. I added some of the hot sauce & chili powder to my pork Udon special, but beware it's potent! The noodles themselves weren't the best I've ever tasted, but the whole meal was filling & very satisfying. read more

Always busy. But i guess its the best soba in Down Under. And super cheap as well. Its funny. Sometimes ive been the only non asian in this Place. read more

Solid food, fast, and super cheap. I had a small bowl of tuna tanaki ($4) and some sort of adventurous looking orange plum slush drink - both were good, and nearly free. Tons of choices on the menu, and lots of tempura fried sides to grab on your way up to the counter. Though it is in a mall, the dark woodsy atmosphere is nice, too. read more

Small restaurant with limited seating. No napkins, just facial tissue in a box on the table. Two regular size udon noodles with 4 assorted tempuras came out to $14.85. Very reasonable and very tasty. read more